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Jennifer B. and her husband visited the ASPCA Adoption Center to adopt a pair of kittens, but kept an open mind and ended up with a two special adult cats with lots of love to give. Jennifer shared her adoption story with us:

We came to the ASPCA looking for kittens and were determined to let the cats choose us. The kittens we met were not a perfect fit for us, so the Adoptions staff asked if we'd like to see some adult cats. We ended up finding our babies in the last cat room—a room full of kitties that had been rescued from a hoarding situation in Brooklyn.

We sat down and waited to see if any of the cats would show interest in us. Phoebe was a little skittish but came right up and started pawing at me for attention. Hurley woke up from a nap and took a minute before claiming a spot on my husband's lap. We thought: This must be them. They chose us.

I was a little worried that visiting the ASPCA might break my heart when I realized I couldn't take them all home. But my anxiety subsided when I saw how nice the Adoption Center is and how well the animals are cared for.

Phoebe and Hurley are two of the most affectionate cats I have ever been around. They love attention and are very social with guests. Phoebe has turned into a little lap cat, while Hurley loves to snuggle. They have fans all over Astoria, and across the country, for that matter. We love them more than words can say.

Have you adopted a pet from the ASPCA? Email us your story at[email protected], and we might feature it on the blog!

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Dream is a cuddly and playful pup who’d love to be your best friend. He’s a low-key dog who enjoys going for walks and would love to spend quality time at home on the couch with you.

Dream has special needs, and he needs a patient adopter to love and take care of him. He has diabetes, and requires injections twice daily. We know that adopting Dream is a significant financial and time commitment, but this little dog has so much love to give in return. He’d do best in a teens-and-up home with experienced adopters and without other dogs around. Adopt Dream today!

Dream is available for adoption at the ASPCA Adoption Center. If you are interested in adopting please call our Adoptions department in New York City at (212) 876-7700, ext. 4900. To learn more about Dream,please visit his page.

In just two months, more than 100,000 people have signed the ASPCA’s petition calling on the chicken industry to slow growth rates and provide better living conditions! Kudos to you. We are so happy to see the public embracing this issue.

But a funny thing happened in response to this effort. The National Chicken Council—the industry’s trade group—and the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association created a website too, and it sure looks familiar! The big difference between their site and our Truth About Chicken website is that they replaced our statements about chicken welfare with their own.

While we’re flattered that these groups took the time and energy to build a website that looks just like ours, we took the liberty of providing some edits. Click on the thumbnail below to take a closer look:

Most of the almost 9 billion chickens raised in this country each year for meat are suffering enormously due to unnaturally fast growth rates and inhumane, unsanitary living conditions. This is bad for chickens and bad for us. With oversight by government almost nonexistent, it’s up to us to push for better treatment of chickens.

That’s why today we delivered our recommendations[PDF] to the National Chicken Council. We’re urging them to incorporate slower growth and better living conditions into their chicken welfare guidelines, which are expected to be released before the end of the year and essentially set the standards for the industry. Please join us by asking the NCC to take this step. Show your support for the ASPCA’s recommendations by visiting The Truth About Chicken and telling the National Chicken Council to get serious about welfare!

Selecting a veterinarian can be a daunting process for some. From convenience and price to competency and compassion, there are a number of factors that you may consider when deciding on a doctor for your pet.

Barbara Glover had many reasons to select the ASPCA Animal Hospital (AAH) as her veterinary practice of choice. She has been an ASPCA adopter and a volunteer for more than 10 years. She has been coming to the ASPCA hospital since 2006 because she trusts the doctors and staff to provide the best care for her special-needs animals.

In 2008, Barbara’s cat Leo had already received treatment for hyperthyroidism and was several months into treatment for small cell lymphoma when Barbara learned that Jazz, the love of her life, had cancer. She began a rigorous course of chemotherapy treatments for him, but knew that it was time to say goodbye a few months later when his mass continued to grow. Barbara says that when the time had come for Jazz, everyone at the ASPCA was so wonderful and so compassionate that saying goodbye to Jazz was one of the most memorable and touching experiences she ever had at the hospital.

Dr. Janice Fenichel, who has been treating Barbara’s cats for years, says Barbara is an amazing client. “She is always right on top of things,” Dr. Fenichel notes. “She is very aware and conscientious and follows through.” She also says that Barbara will go the extra mile for her pets, but knows when to make the hard call.

Barbara has had kitties with a wide range of special needs, including socialization issues, neurological conditions, hip laxity, heart conditions and blindness. Her current kitties—Serena (born with no eyes), Creamsicle (heart disease and a neurological disorder) and Pumpernickel (rear-limb weakness)—all receive buckets of attention from AAH’s staff on every visit, and it’s one of the reasons that Barbara keeps coming back.

When all is said and done, your choice of veterinarian simply needs to “feel right.” Whether it’s the way the staff greets you, or the way the nurse carries your pet into the exam room, or even the way the doctor is able to explain something frightening in a reassuring way, your veterinarian should not only be a medical expert, but a trusted partner in the care of your pets.

Looking for a trusted vet? To make an appointment at the ASPCA Animal Hospital, pleasefill out this formor contact us at (646) 259-4080.

Max, a former champion living in Arizona, was healthy and happy before his owner was forced to give him up.

As the deadly snow storms that have already hit the Great Plains illustrate, winter is coming. It won't be long before much of the country is buried under a blanket of white.

This is the time of year equine rescues, sanctuaries, and community hay banks serving needy horse owners stock up on hay for the entire winter. The ASPCA assists these groups through grants made possible by our members’ compassion and generosity, ensuring that horses don't suffer and starve.

One such group is the Arizona Coalition for Equines (ACE), which received a $3,000 grant from the ASPCA in November 2012. These are just a few of the lives ACE was able to touch with that funding:

Slammed by foreclosure on her home and forced to move after the death of her mother, a woman living on disability ran out of money to feed her two horses. She turned to ACE for a helping hand, saying she would rather feed her horses than herself. ACE responded with a month’s worth of hay and settled her unpaid feed bill, giving her time to get back on her feet. Her horses remain in excellent condition.

A disabled veteran on a fixed income asked ACE for help when his horse became unable to walk. Sometimes feeding his horses before himself, he was desperate to get veterinary care but unable to pay the upfront costs. With ACE assistance, a veterinarian did a complete examination and diagnosed thrush, a front hoof abscess and a possible pelvic injury. Treatment provided immediate relief.

The greatest success story belongs to Max, a 30-year-old former champion show horse (pictured) who had been owner-released to a commercial stable due to financial hardship. His former owner was devastated when he went to visit Max months later and found him close to death—he had been left to starve. The man reached out to ACE, which rescued Max and covered the cost of his foster care until a new forever home was found.